As North Texas continues to see an economic and residential boom, the rapid transit system is taking steps not to be left behind.
The Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) Board of Directors recently approved the DARTzoom Final Bus Network Plan, which includes a complete redesign of the DART bus network.
This plan’s goal is to provide more and long service hours, along with improved access to destinations for riders. The redesigned network goes into effect on Jan. 24, 2022.
According to DART, it has worked exclusively with all North Texas “service cities, employers, community leaders, and transit riders; DART has developed a new bus system designed to ensure passengers have safe and easy access to employment, education, and entertainment areas across the DART service area.”
A few advantages of DARTzoom include greater frequency, expanded coverage, more direct service, and extended hours.
The Core Frequent Network service will provide bus frequency matching or better than light rail service, which equals 15-minute peak and 20-minute midday. Light rail service will also return to pre-pandemic levels, providing 15-minute peak service and more frequent evening service.
With the implementation of the DARTzoom Bus Network Redesign service changes, 74% of DART service area residents will have access to transit services within walking distance. This is an increase of 6% above the current bus network design.
By making the new bus routes more direct, focusing on major transit corridors, and reducing the number of bus stops, DART bus service will be faster, ensuring passengers get to their destinations quicker and improving connections.
All local DART bus routes will provide service seven days a week between 5 a.m. and midnight at a minimum. The 22 core frequent bus routes will operate between 4 a.m. and 1 a.m.
Knowing riders will be impacted by the change, the bus service improvements go into effect on Dec. 6, allowing riders to experience DARTzoom before it officially begins in January 2022.